Just before Christmas last year, government gifted a mandate which would see a 30% cut in carbon across all new residential buildings. The updates to Part L of the Building Regulations, which is to do with energy use, Part F for ventilation and the introduction of a new Part O for overheating will reportedly pave the way for a greener built environment. But do the updates go far enough? Ellen Huelin, Associate Director at Whitecode Consulting takes a closer look. Part L updates We have been expecting the changes for some time. This is the biggest update to Part L of the Building Regulations since 2013, where we will see a 30% reduction in carbon in new homes. As highlighted in the updates to Part L, the reduction will be achieved through fabric improvements and carbon saving technologies, i.e., the addition of PV panels or air source heat pumps. The announcements were set out in the Department for Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC)’s response published last month to a public consultation, which ran from January to April 2021 on the Future Buildings Standard. It details interim uplifts to Parts L and F of the Building Regulations and the introduction of Part O. Part L applies to all projects after 15 June 2022, except projects where a building notice has been given. The new regulations will apply to all projects regardless from 15 June 2023. During the consultation an array of options was considered, but they decided to go for a higher uplift that’s not just based on building fabric but carbon saving technologies too. Taking a magnifying glass to the updates, the performance metrics for Part L 2021 include: -         Primary energy target -         CO2 emission target -         Fabric energy efficiency target (FEES – DFEE/TFEE) -         Minimum standards for fabric and fixed building services In many ways the updates to Part L will prepare many companies for the change that will come when the Future Homes and Buildings Standard comes into force in 2025. It is in that sense an important stepping stone. These latest updates to Part L mean that residential buildings built from 2023 are more prepared for the 2025 change. Furthermore, the focus on fabric-first approach and carbon saving technologies will therefore steadily remove dependency on gas boilers which are to be banned in new homes from 2025. Many GLA schemes that the likes of Whitecode Consulting work on are already installing heat pumps instead of gas boilers. The biggest challenge will be ensuring this change happens outside of London. As well as a focus on carbon technologies, a tighter building fabric will need to be achieved in preparation for the Future Homes Standard. The focus here isn’t so much on walls or doors but windows, which lose around 18% of a house’s total heat. To provide a solution to this issue, there is a need for windows to have stronger U-values. We will, then, see triple glazing with a 0.8 U-value expected by 2025. Closer inspection Businesses would do well to start putting these changes into motion as there are new requirements that have to be met. As part of the change and to assure compliance, photographs will be required during the construction of properties to prove correct installation; all plots must be air tested; accredited construction details (ACDs) for thermal bridging will be scrapped; and plot specific approach to transitional arrangements. Taking a closer look at the transitional arrangements is key, as there are details that must be considered. For Part L 2021 the site-wide approach for transitioning will change to a plot/building specific approach. Therefore plots/buildings that do not start within a year of the regulation’s application, even if on the same site, would need to be built to the latest standards. New Part O Another regulation that has been newly introduced is Part O for overheating. Here at Whitecode Consulting we have been performing overheating analysis for many years. Overheating can cause huge discomfort to homeowners and compromise their wellbeing. But, up until now it hasn’t ever been regulated. It is assuring, therefore, to see the introduction of Part O. Previously, TM59 overheating assessments were performed in order to assure compliance with the London Plan. Whilst this rigorous assessment will still be a method of choice on some projects, as it can offer more design flexibility, Part O certainly offers a more simplified, formulaic method which will be desirable on projects. It’s key to look closely at the changes Part O includes. Projects will not, for instance, be able to use internal blinds to comply. Blinds have been continually used in developments to prevent overheating. Now, with the new Part O, schemes will need to include other kinds of shading including external to comply. Whichever route is selected, Whitecode Consulting has the experience and expertise to help clients navigate their chosen path.  All in all, the updates to Part L, Part F and the introduction of Part O are highly welcomed. The updates to Part L in particular will go some way to preparing us for the Future Homes Standard in 2025. The changes, however, are severely overdue and could have gone further, as the reality is that the change has to be done now. Given that we are living in a climate emergency, will the industry be quicker to adopt the change? We’ll have to wait and see. 

Britain might be out of the EU but we still continue to mirror many of their policies - and that particularly applies to climate change, energy savings and sustainability. Fire risk following Grenfell, also remains a major factor and both continue to provide massive challenges for Facility Management companies – especially when it comes to roofing and waterproofing writes Justin Pitman, sales director for Proteus Waterproofing. In spite of these factors, it can be proven that Facility Management professionals prepared to work more closely with suppliers can more easily meet these challenges, get the best quality job and make significant budget savings at the same time. Every building needs a roof, but in today’s green environment it is not enough to simply provide the waterproofing. New levels of insulation are needed to meet updated regulations and in the case of flats there is the added requirement to insulate party walls and other sensitive areas while also taking fire risk into consideration. Insulation levels are 10 times higher than they were 50 years ago.  However, while fire regulations have not changed dramatically in recent years, amendments have been made following the Grenfell tower fire, in particular the ban on the installation of combustible materials in external walls on buildings with a height of 18 metres or more, introduced in October 2019. The Climate Change Act 2008 set in legislation, the UK's approach to tackling and responding to climate change. It introduced the UK’s long-term legally binding 2050 target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% relative to 1990 levels. Since 2012 there has also been a need for all commercial buildings to have EPCs (Energy Performance Certificates). These include buildings used as places of worship and for religious activities. stand-alone buildings of less than 50 m2. industrial sites, workshops and non-residential agricultural buildings with low energy demand including temporary buildings, offices, pubs, shops – the list is endless. The lower the energy use, the more attractive the building to potential end users. With this kind of pressure, it means that the building sector is crucial in achieving Britain’s energy and environmental goals. The good news is that following the introduction of energy performance rules in national building codes and the increased levels of insulation, buildings today consume only half as much as typical structures from the 1980s, but the rules continue to become more stringent and that in turn squeezes budgets. This all adds up to increased pressure and with fire and energy savings setting the agenda, more and more Facility Management professionals are asking companies such as Proteus to help them remove unnecessary costs from all parts of the supply chain. On face value this means offering the most competitive prices on product, but it is a much bigger story than that when set against the much bigger challenge of energy savings and fire risk. In response Proteus has developed a system and product offering to enable them to offer Facility Management professionals a complete roof design package incorporating living roofs (green, blue or brown), solar roof options, safety fall arrest systems and wind uplift calculations alongside their established waterproofing, insulation and fire protection system solutions. This ‘one-stop shop’ approach has allowed the company to provide a more competitive quality to their clients, whilst supporting them through the entire design and installation process. This has resulted in the removal of unnecessary costs and other overheads. In spite of these challenges, upgrading roofing and the waterproofing of other public areas can be incredibly disruptive and unpleasant for residents or office workers who have to remain in the building. There is also the risk of fire when torch on or molten materials are used. The good news is that the development of cold applied, odour free waterproofing systems has significantly reduced this problem and when used in conjunction with plans to increase insulation levels and reduce fire risk, they offer an incredibly cost-effective solution for Facility Management companies. It all adds up to major changes in the way that Facility Management Companies should be dealing with end suppliers. Closer collaboration with everyone involved in the supply chain means that the end user gets the best possible job. It is also the most cost-effective solution for Facility Management professionals when they are prepared to work more closely with suppliers and installers by letting them take the strain in terms of design advice, risk assessment and all the other factors which now dominate the modern construction industry. It is no longer about fighting for the best product price so why let roofing and waterproofing be a challenge when all the expertise you need is on the doorstep.  

Hospitals are the UK’s lifeblood, providing patients across the country with access to specialised medical care and treatment. A cornerstone of their communities, hospitals must undergo routine upgrade and maintenance work in order to ensure they continually deliver to their high standards writes Stacey Lucas from Sontay. King’s College Hospital in south London is a major inner-city hospital managed by King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. As well as being a leading facility for care and treatment, King’s is a large medical hub which is one in a trio of institutions belonging to the King’s College London School of Medicine. The hospital underwent an £80million extension to its existing coronary care unit (CCU) building to provide vital new CCU and isolation room bed space for patients. To ensure these critical areas are controlled and monitored accurately, it was decided that an extensive range of building control peripherals were needed. A myriad of solutions from market-leading specialist Sontay were specified as part of a sophisticated building management system (BMS). Siemsatec, a specialist in BMS design, installation and maintenance was tasked with installing the BMS for the new space. The system needed to give simple control over the extension’s HVAC plant to keep patients comfortable, help streamline the hospital’s budget and offer a healthy environment to patients through effective temperature control. A further consideration was to ensure the hospital could maintain the efficient running of the building and enable energy and cost savings. Working collaboratively with Sontay, Siemsatec undertook full system design and management of the project from start to finish. Siemsatec installed a Trend IQ4 and 963 BMS, along with a range of Sontay solutions, which monitor all of the air handling units as well as the LTHW & CHW plant within the CCU bed spaces. The versatility of Sontay’s solutions means a range of field devices can monitor all aspects of a commercial building. This allows the likes of Siemsatec to select exactly what is required for each application. The Sontay products that were specified included temperature and combined temperature, and humidity sensors to monitor environmental conditions on the wards for patient and staff wellbeing. Immersion and frost thermostats, air and water differential pressure switches, air differential sensors, flow grids, smoke detectors, water detection and thyristor controllers were also specified to monitor the building service equipment. “The new control system ensured the facilities team could manage and monitor the system with ease in order to improve overall efficiency and respond to the needs of both patients and staff in the building,” commented Joe Bailey, Project Manager at Siemsatec. “We decided to use Sontay because of its reliability and the quality of the products. All of the solutions were easy to install and worked well once in place.” This project was extended within a fixed budget and delivered to a tight deadline to ensure the existing CCU unit remained operational. It was essential for the space to remain functional during the renovation process and give patients immediate use of the services. “The prompt delivery Sontay offered really helped us deliver the completed project on time,” continued Joe. Following the installation and completion of the project, the facilities management team at the hospital can now manage, monitor and adapt the control system quickly and easily. They will also ensure the hospital is operating as efficiently as possible and respond to the needs of both patients and staff within the building. The presence of Sontay’s solutions on King’s College Hospital’s new CCU unit will enable a vital medical facility to keep delivering and pioneering treatment for patients for years to come.  

Sustainability has been at the top of the building agenda for many years, with an emphasis on its environmental and economic impact. Such outcomes are of major importance, but it shouldn’t be forgotten that buildings are created for people, and their health and wellbeing should be of the highest priority when it comes to the interior design and workings of offices and other workplaces. Stacey Lucas, Commercial and Marketing Director at Sontay, a market-leader in the manufacture of sensors specifically developed to improve the indoor environment and create healthier, more energy-efficient buildings, looks at how smart sensor technology is being employed for beneficial effect in the places we inhabit most.  Pre-pandemic we reportedly spent more than 90% of our lives indoors whether at home, school or in the workplace. Ventilation, temperature and pressure regulation contribute to maintaining an atmospheric happy medium, which in a work environment helps increase employee contentment, leading to increased productivity and fewer sick days. Building sensors installed as part of an efficient building management system, offer an ingeniously smart and effective way of remotely monitoring indoor conditions, as well as giving property owners more control over energy usage; a benefit that not only helps reduce heating and lighting costs, it facilitates a significant reduction in a building’s carbon footprint. Monitoring key criteria such as relative humidity, CO2 and air quality can also offer vital information on the likelihood of viral transmission in the indoor environment and instruct the BMS to increase ventilation to improve conditions. Their usage could therefore be a factor in driving environmental-initiatives, such as the UK government’s pledge for carbon-neutral status by 2050 as well as building confidence in us returning to office buildings in the future. Sensor solutions Sensors can control a myriad of elements that affect our indoor climate including temperature, which in relation to an office environment is found to be around 22°C. However, relative humidity, if not managed correctly can make a room feel hotter or colder than the actual temperature reading. It can increase the likelihood of bacterial spread at lower levels. A sensor can help overcome these issues by monitoring humidity levels, to ensure an ideal 50% reading is maintained. In terms of air quality, airborne volatile organic compounds (VOC), pollutants which are found in paints and other building materials, are known to have a detrimental effect. The same harmful chemicals are also present in hand sanitisers, aggressive cleaning products and detergents; the demand for which has been unprecedented since the onset of the coronavirus crisis. Air quality sensors are able to measure VOC levels and provide data for when ventilation is needed to maintain occupancy comfort, or the need to take action when a potentially hazardous reading is recorded. Crisis management The COVID-19 pandemic has also focused a lot of attention on the amount of indoor space people should be allowed to share in order to maintain distance and prevent viral spread. A CO2 sensor provides a clear visual indication of when a workplace requires ventilation due to deterioration in the indoor air quality. When we exhale we emit CO2, which if left unchecked in a busy office environment for example, can lead to headaches due to increased discomfort levels. A CO2 sensor with an LED traffic light-style display can help alleviate this issue. When showing green, for instance, the sensor is indicating that a room isn’t over-occupied and the risk to air quality is low. Should the sensor show amber, it’s a sign that windows require opening or fewer people need to be in the room to maintain the same healthy indoors environment. When the sensor turns red it is a call to action, as it indicates there is not enough ventilationin the room. At these last two stages, if a sensor is connected to a building management system, it will activate relevant ventilation. Light level and occupancy sensors offer further relevance to the ongoing pandemic. In relation to the nationwide lockdown, many offices in towns and cities remain empty whilst lights and other energy sources continue to burn unmonitored within the buildings themselves. An estimated 40% of a building’s energy costs are attributed to light usage; therefore, installing a sensor which operates lighting based on a building’s occupancy and interior light levels has financial and environmental benefits. Though relatively small in size, building sensors can have a huge part to play in ensuring properties, particularly workspaces, are managed safely, sustainably and profitably. Like a friend we never knew we had, these smart little devices look out for us when we’re in the office, and look out for the office when we’re at home. They are becoming evermore vital to the way we work today, and in the future.

Insulation within a flooring build-up doesn’t generally gain the same significance as it does in a wall or roof application, but its contribution remains crucial to sealing a building’s thermal envelope. Flooring insulation in a busy commercial setting should have dual purpose. It needs to be strong enough to withstand regular pounding from large footfall or heavy machinery, whilst possessing the thermal properties to help uphold a building’s overall energy performance. Specification consideration The insulation’s specification will depend on a building’s use. In a warehouse or industrial environment where motorised machinery is prevalent, priority will be given to the insulation’s load-bearing capacity when it comes to its selection. This will generally be determined by a structural engineer checking a specified product’s declared load-bearing ability against the weight it will be required to withstand. When it comes to where insulation fits within a commercial flooring build-up, this very much depends on the composition of the floor itself. On a standard sand and cement screed, the insulation will be installed between a damp-proof and a radon membrane. PIR benefits PIR panels are one of the better-performing insulants for commercial applications. It’s a solution that offers the best of both worlds, as it provides good compressive strength and a high thermal performance. Its use is ideal in a domestic or light commercial setting. Easy to handle and install, PIR panels reduce the risk of cold bridging by offering improved performance at floor junction details and perimeter upstands. Alternative choice As for alternative solutions, polystyrene-based insulation provides much higher load-bearing capacity, making it more suitable for use in a heavy industrialised setting. However, its compressive strength isn’t married to a strong thermal performance; hence PIR is the better all-round performer. PIR’s dual qualities also make for a more rapid, cost-effective installation. Its excellent thermal conductivity reduces the thickness and depth of a floor’s build-up, which in-turn decreases the amount of preparatory soil and rubble removal involved in new-build and refurbishment flooring applications. Eurothane® GP Recticel’s Eurothane® GP insulation board is a high-performance solution for a range of commercial and domestic projects involving floors, pitched roofs or framed walls. Lightweight and easy to cut, the board has an excellent thermal conductivity of 0.022W/mK, whilst its consistent tolerances, straight edges and flatness enhance its usability without compromise to durability. As far as flooring insulation is concerned, Eurothane® GP board meets the demand for longevity and good energy flow within a build-up. Specifiers shouldn’t stand for anything less. 

The UK urgently needs to decarbonise its grid, yet the cost of more sustainable supplies such as electricity will be untenable for the everyday bill payer writes Alex Hill, Managing Director at Whitecode. The technology is without question extremely promising, but how will the reality affect the general public? Will it further push consumers into greater fuel poverty? Is our green ambition just a dream? A report produced by the thinktank, Ember, revealed that renewable energy generated by wind, sunlight, water and wood constituted 42% of the UK’s electricity last year compared with 41% generated from gas and coal plants together. These findings are hugely encouraging if the UK is going to fulfil its aim to eliminate fossil fuel heating. The report represents quite a milestone and reassuringly suggests that we are weaning ourselves off unsustainable heat supplies. The war effort is clearly working, no doubt as a result of assistance from the UK government which has launched a series of schemes – including the Clean Heat Grant – to encourage homeowners to adopt renewable technologies. These schemes sit well with the ban of fossil fuel heating in new UK homes, which will come into effect in 2025. Whilst this all sounds highly encouraging and positive, the caveat is the cost. Air source heat pumps have been lobbied and heralded as the solution to cleaner heat, yet the financial burden of electricity will weigh heavy on consumers. When I started out as an engineer around 20 years ago the cost of electricity was 8p per kilowatt. Fast forward to 2021 and the amount peaks at 17p! In comparison, the price of gas hasn’t changed much at all and has remained at the cheap price of 3p. As a result of electricity’s high costs, we are seeing some homeowners receiving extortionate energy bills each month, sums well above the average running costs. Everyone is talking about going green and being carbon neutral, but what about fuel poverty? What are the solutions? If you have a gas boiler that runs cheaply in comparison; where is the incentive for you to change your boiler and supply? The ban on fossil fuel heating is solely for new homes and does not account for the existing stock. Some boiler manufacturers are exploring other options including hydrogen, which derives from water and has the potential to be very sustainable. It could be that this technology is another option to electricity. At the moment electricity is financially unviable for many consumers. Clearly there needs to be greater attention paid to this matter, and it would help to think laterally and in terms of longevity. In 15 years, a homeowner may have to upgrade their heat pump as they would do their boiler. A new boiler would cost you around £2000 in total, yet a heat pump comes in at around £5000 at least. This is with the proviso that there are a sufficient number of F Gas-qualified installers who are licensed to service heat pumps. Many boiler installers will need to upskill, and this may come at a higher cost both for installers and homeowners. In our pursuit to be green we must take a more holistic approach and account for every eventuality and ramification possible. On a separate note, the move towards electricity needs to be better funded. Whilst it is positive to see that we are steadily eliminating carbon-hungry fuel, someone has to pay for the decarbonisation on our national grid. At present the reality isn’t moving in tandem with the expectations, and if things remain unchanged, I fear it will push many into even deeper fuel poverty.  

The UK construction industry is continuing to weather the impact of the coronavirus pandemic but is still facing ongoing challenges when it comes to design detail and the specification process writesLisa Sherburne-Kilby, Commercial Operations Director, Masonry UK at Leviat . All too often information is missing from drawings, leaving decisions to those on the ground who may invariably take the opportunity to reduce costs by substituting products. This can lead to a loss of design intent and quality.  However, it doesn’t have to be this way.  How then can manufacturers play their part in the specification process and ensure that value engineering is not simply cost cutting at the expense of quality but rather a method of ensuring the client gets the best possible value for money with products that improve the functionality and quality of the project? In her report Building A Safer Future, Dame Judith Hackett said that the term value engineering should be driven out of construction, saying that she would be “happy to never hear [it] again.”  The term has divided the industry because simply reducing cost at the expense of quality is not value engineering. The process can, in some instances, involve substituting or swapping quality products for cheaper and inferior alternatives that do not meet relevant industry standards because seemingly they appear ‘better value’. In the long term, this can compromise the overall effectiveness of a building and have more serious implications in terms of fire, health and safety.  Product substitution should only occur where there is a clear comparison in performance against the required specification. Transparency and collaboration In its simplest terms, true value engineering is problem-solving which is why the relationship between building product manufacturer and specifier has never been more important. At Leviat, one of our core values is Customer Focus that we express as ‘we put our customer at the heart of it all’; this means we are committed to understanding and achieving their vision.  We will review an engineer’s or architect’s principal concepts and advise the suitability of products, highlighting any design concerns early so they do not become costly surprises later in the supply process. A well-engineered and well-understood product will add value and not cause a contractor issues during installation or the building owner during its lifecycle. Whilst being able to provide a range of standard products which specifiers can select to a set performance and criteria is part of what we do, a large part of our work is ‘designed bespoke’ to overcome engineering challenges. In other words, we will take a standard product, adapt it for a project and then ensure it is fit for purpose. This was the case on a project in Nightingale Place, South London. In order to help the customer avoid the need for additional restraint fixings into the Post Tensioned (PT) slab and the use of expansion bolts into highly stresses zones, we created a stiffened channel to the underside of our brackets allowing flexibility of the joint position. In short, all our designs start from the principle of providing an engineered solution that the customer will be confident safely delivers the performance aspirations for the project. Each project is unique in its needs which is why many of our product innovations are driven by our understanding of frequent design demands in complex projects or novel solutions to unusual design challenges, and then offering that new product solution to the wider market. Early engagement As a manufacturer, the earlier our technical engineers and sales team engage in the specification process the better, so we can have an understanding of the facts at the front end and be able to identify the areas which are most at risk of costs escalating. To reduce the risk of surprise, we need to align our design with the client’s design in order to allow for flexibility on site. 3D modelling software enables collaboration during the design stage as it gives all parties a view on how products will fit together and if there is likely to be any clashes or interferences. In an ideal world, collaboration and early engagement amongst all stakeholders on a construction project should become the norm as it will ensure all parties have a deeper understanding of a project resulting in a more accurate specification process and huge benefits to the end-outcome. Furthermore, when practiced correctly and at the early stages of a build, value engineering will optimise the value of a project, improving performance and quality. As a manufacturer of engineered construction technology, we take our responsibilities very seriously. The design and construction of buildings is a joint responsibility across the entire supply chain from architects and designers to contractor, consultants and manufacturers. Organisations such as the CPA (Construction Products Association) are helping to bridge the divide that has existed – following two years of engagement with industry, they have developed a Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) and are about to undertake consultation on its new 11-point agenda. This is aiming to set a level playing field for all construction product manufacturers to ensure that the information they provide, in whatever format that might be, is clear, accurate, up to date and unambiguous. This mirrors how we operate and as such we welcome this step towards creating a better built environment.

In her report, ‘Building a Safer Future: Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety’, Dame Judith Hackitt spoke of the need for a golden thread of information to preserve the design and construction information in a standardised format. It’s proposed that keeping a permanent record of the material composition of a building’s fabric, for example, will ensure regulatory fire safety and energy performance is maintained and updated in the event of alterations writes Simon Blackham, Technical Manager at Recticel Insulation. Dame Judith’s recommendation has been welcomed by the construction industry. Its implementation would allow all links within the building supply chain access to a raft of design information that will help bridge the performance gap which plagues the UK’s housing stock. Building products which are replicable perform as stated and maintain long-term quality will be crucial to upholding the golden thread and avoiding a post-refurbishment shortfall in energy performance, hence the need for insulation that fulfils the aforementioned criteria. Designed with the installer and end user in mind It could be said that Recticel’s high-performance full-fill insulation boardEurowall + was a product tailor made for the golden thread process, despite its development preceding Dame Judith’s report by a good many years. From concept to delivery, Eurowall + is a product produced with the applicator and end user in mind. The ease of its installation, which coupled with its innovative tongue and groove joints around its edges, meant Recticel was able to deliver a board with superb thermal properties that was able to be installed with consistent and repeatable performance on site.   Whilst many rigid full-fill products are 97mm or thicker for a designed cavity width of 100mm, Eurowall + offers a 90mm insulation board to achieve similar thermal performance, at the same time avoiding impediments to conventional bricklaying techniques. The 10mm gap allows installers adequate room to ensure the boards fit tightly to a cavity wall’s inner leaf in a process that reduces on-site labour times, but improves the quality of the installation itself.  The panel’s tongue-and-groove joint means it forms a secure tight lock with other boards, thus increasing protection against wind-driven rain and reducing convectional heat loss through gaps between boards. Unlike fibrous insulation solutions such as mineral wool which degrades overtime and slumps within the cavity, particularly when damp, in five, 10 and 20 years’ time Eurowall + panels will remain locked in position, performing as well as they did when first installed. Compliant products a must for futureproof properties  Product stability and consistency are key characteristics for the creation of future proof buildings. It’s a performance which can be monitored thanks to the introduction of Building Information Modelling (BIM) providing a digital window into how a property’s performance tails off over time due to the changing composition of its fabric. Going forwards, if the golden thread of information is to command relevance within the industry, then products specified to insulate walls, roofs and floors must come with compliance in-built in order to guarantee performance for a number of years, rather than months. Time to act As with most good ideas, Dame Judith’s golden thread proposition is founded in good old-fashioned common sense. The fact that many properties fail to reach industry-required energy performance due to the quality of materials installed within the fabric ought not to be considered a revelation. Yet this poor practice continues. We can no longer afford to pay lip service to the demand for better quality buildings. Homes account for three-quarters of the UK’s CO2 emissions created by heating buildings; an unfortunate, yet unsurprising figure given that BBC analysis in 2020 revealed that nearly two-thirds of the country’s housing stock failed to meet long-term energy efficiency targets. If the UK government is to fulfil its pledge for mid-century carbon neutrality, then now is the time for the construction industry to take up Dame Judith’s golden thread proposal and run with it.  

The construction industry is the UK’s biggest consumer of natural resources. The finding was revealed as part of a study by Waste Management and Reprocessors (WRAP) which works with businesses, local authorities and governments to improve recycling collections and reduce waste writes James Wilkinson, Design Team Manager at Gradient. According to WRAP, the building sector uses 400 million tonnes of material each year, resulting in an annual production of 100 million tonnes of waste. The data does nothing to assuage the notion that the construction industry’s renowned reliance on traditional practices and techniques is to the detriment of its environmental performance. The tide is turning though, and the building supply chain is bolstered by manufacturers and the like making sustainability core to their offering. Gradient is one such company. As a turnkey service supplier of flat and tapered roof insulation, each element of Gradient’s provision – from the initial client contact, to site surveys and the bespoke creation and delivery of the product itself – is aimed at minimising waste. Such is the forensic detail applied to the systems we manufacture; the amount of insulation we provide will be precisely what is needed to meet project requirements – no more, no less. This not only minimises material waste, it makes for a more cost-effective installation, which is in itself has sustainable benefit. Call-off duty As well as avoiding over-specifying materials, Gradient offers a call-off delivery service for customers. This allows bulk orders to be delivered over a period of time. Providing installers with the right amount of product when needed significantly reduces instances of unused materials being left around site to deteriorate. This ‘call-off’ system is of particular benefit in city-based construction projects where space is likely to be severely limited, and having spare materials deposited about a site poses an increasing health and safety risk, as well as accruing a costly build-up of waste. On congested sites with minimal storage room, phased delivery times also protect against the far from ideal scenario of using roofs as a convenient facility to stow unrequired items. For waterproof installers with little site space in which to manoeuvre, but with a 10,000m2 at their disposal, it’s a temptation few would find easy to resist. But leaving materials unsecure and exposed upon a roof risks damaging the items themselves, as well as the roof they are designed to protect. It also imperils other areas of a site due to the potential for materials or debris to be blown from the roof. Such an outcome could not only cause serious injury to a passing trades person or member of the public, it would likely lead to project delay and tarnishing of the reputation of the company involved. Building sustainability into design Putting sustainability at the core of tapered insulation and roof design in practical terms means initiating processes which make a difference to waste generation. At Gradient, for example, our technicians try to minimise the number of different falls on a roof. This uniform approach to design allows insulation boards unused in one area of a roof to be installed elsewhere within the application. This recycling of materials comes at zero cost to the insulation system’s overall performance, but does spare high-performance boarding from being cast to the skip. Sustainability is endemic within Gradient’s culture. Hence in terms of the design process, our technical teams are not only focused on creating a flat or tapered roofing insulation that is specific to a client’s requirements and built to last the lifespan of a building, they will challenge themselves to optimise a project’s environmental performance. The off-site manufacture of systems within a controlled environment is a major contributor to our sustainably-favourable output. For example, our single-layer tapered insulation systems arrive on site pre-bonded, thus eliminating the need for installers to adhere the boards themselves, a process which could be delayed by exterior elements causing moisture or debris to contaminate the glue, rendering it unusable. Again, seemingly minor issues such as this can parlay to increase costs which would otherwise by offset by taking a more sustainable approach to the job in hand. Don’t let sustainable working practices go to waste By creating the opportunity for waste – which also incurs expense during its transportation and safe disposal – those involved in the building supply chain throw away the chance of driving down project costs that are ultimately borne by the customer. The environment also suffers, which in the long-term affects us all if we are denied the chance to breathe cleaner, less-polluted air. It’s a situation that can be fixed if all strands of the construction industry were, like Gradient, to go one step further in striving to reduce their carbon footprint.  

Hidden cost puts a huge dent in a construction project’s progress, causing delay and leading to contractors utilising contingency funds and eroding profit margins. Software creator, Buildots explains how AI (Artificial Intelligence) shrinks this costly expenditure, providing contractors with accurate data to make better decisions, analyse project performance and save precious time and money. There are so many ways to articulate what AI is, but here at Buildots we see it as a machine’s ability to perform an action or reach a conclusion similarly to how we do. As humans, we look at an image and make a decision – it is after all, a learnt behaviour – and AI performs this task in a like-for-like manner. For busy project or site managers in the construction industry who don’t have the time to manually inspect thousands of components on a weekly basis, AI can be utilised to capture and analyse huge amounts of data, reporting on a project’s progress to ensure all works are on schedule. Buildots’ solution – of which AI is a main facet – lets site managers know the exact status of a project via access to a single online platform. Buildots leverages the capacity of off-the-shelf 360-degree cameras to capture site data and compare it with the BIM information, creating a perfect view of a project. On top of the live model an advanced dashboard system creates the construction control centre, showing progress reports, monthly evaluations and flags any divergences from the 3D model. AI and BIM work hand-in-hand to analyse whether the design is being followed onsite, and empowers site managers to action immediate changes, which reduce the likelihood of hidden costs in the future.   AI’s real-time benefits Unanticipated costs can be a real burden to contractors, bruising productivity and significantly affecting project margins. These costs often stem from the need to rectify issues onsite that have long gone undetected, as a project manager hasn’t had the time to double check whether something has or hasn’t been installed. Sometimes projects are delayed for months, as walls or access routes have been missed. This is where AI really comes into its own; with site managers able to reliably track project activity which is actionable immediately, instead of in three months’ time when work has moved on to the next stage. AI acts as an early warning system, providing a high-level view of an entire project to make changes and inform decision-making. But as well as reducing the chances of unforeseen costs, Buildots’ system sustains a project’s momentum, tracking exactly what happens and when so that project teams hit their targets and milestones. Buildots goes one-step further Whilst the Buildots platform starts with data capture, the real value is derived from enabling contractors to analyse the information to underpin decision-making. This offers a multitude of benefits both in terms of a project’s success and a construction business more widely. To put it succinctly, AI helps to futureproof businesses. This technology is a real game-changer for contractors, elevating the amount of data available to them and giving enhanced visibility on project performance. With this level of granularity, contractors may use the information to know where best to invest their resources and improve as a business. If for instance contractors find they are spending time and money rectifying mistakes, AI as a solution resolves this risky issue. AI achieves this as the data analysis it enables lets contractors highlight the problems at hand, so they can kickstart the behaviour change that is needed.   AI enables contractors to have a 360-degree view of their project to make better decisions regarding progress and productivity. As project managers simply do not have the resource to manually inspect every component, AI is the extra pair of eyes, keeping a programme on-time and to budget. With multiple benefits on offer it is no wonder why AI is here to stay in the industry.